I love those surveys that test what kind of personality you have. So I was quite thrilled that doing Chinese medical diagnosis requires personality testing. I’ve attached someone I know to each of the five personalities so I can remember.

WOOD
Fearless, confident, a leader, “the general”
When out of balance can be a biter and have a “my way or the highway” attitude. Prone to irritable bowel disease.

This is Riley. He is the reigning thug cat in our neighborhood. He is also hard headed and stubborn. It has been cold recently. He wants outside. I said no. But he made a break for it and got out. He knew he made a mistake in seconds. He was standing on the sidewalk deciding what to do. I opened the door and told him to come back inside. But, everytime a cat admits that a human was right and he was wrong a small tear is made in the fabric of space or something so they can’t do it. I went and got a bag of treats and shook it. He came running since I was giving treats. Not that he was wrong. Just for treats.
When he gets upset he gets diarrhea.

FIRE
Outgoing, center of attention, perky
Can get anxiety issues and heart issues

This is Prize. She loved going to expos where everyone petted her and told her what a pretty pony she was for days on end. I wonder if a tendency to heart troubles can mean circulation issues which are the root causes of the laminits she is battling?

EARTH
Laid back, quiet, go with the flow
Prone to obesity and excess worrying

This is me. I didn’t agree with the worrying for a few days since I’m so calm in my personal life. Then I remembered that I’m a neurotic mess about my surgery cases.

METAL
Aloof, likes order and routine
Prone to depression and lung disease

This one had me laughing as soon as I read it. It is so perfectly Spirit! If you were late feeding him he got huffy and he always considered you to be late. You could get up at 4 AM and feed him and he’d say, “About time!” If you were truly late he wouldn’t say anything and he’d conspicuously avert his eyes so you knew he couldn’t stand to even look at you. In those cases I’d hug him just because I knew it would make him madder. I always said that in his last life he was an English butler who loved a schedule and in his next he’d want to be a wild horse as long as there was a helicopter that came and dropped food to him and it better not be late!

WATER
Timid, fearful of life
These are the fear biters.

This fits UnderTheBedDog. She is scared of her own shadow. She’s terrified of car rides unless there is another dog with her.

Do these fit anyone you know? You can be a combination.